On the day Freddy Galvis was named the starting second baseman on Opening Day, he did not disappoint.

The top infield prospect for the Phillies bumped his spring average up to .282 with his two-run, game-tying triple in the 5th inning as well as scoring the go-ahead run in the Phillies 4-3 win on Monday.

The Phillies were trailing 3-0 heading into the 5th inning and they put a four-spot on the board and held on to beat the Tigers in Clearwater.

Scott Elarton got the start, allowing all three of the Tigers runs in 2 1/2 innings of work. As Opening Day is around the corner, he needs to impress someone to have a shot at cracking the roster as a reliever with Jose Contreras apparently not ready.

Joe Savery was really good in his two innings, allowing a double and striking out three.

Cole Hamels certainly is not the fourth best pitcher on the Phillies, but the Phillies rotation may just reflect that heading into a highly anticipated 2012 season.

After reading Jim Salisbury’s post on CSN’s website, splitting the lefties may just be a great direction to take this rotation. By splitting the lefties, it would most likely require Hamels pitching fourth in the rotation.

Though the Opening Day starter hasn’t officially been announced, it will most likely, and should be Roy Halladay taking the first ball in Pittsburgh. Granted the right-hander hasn’t been as immediately effective in his tune up games to the season, there shouldn’t be a doubt in anyone’s mind that he’s the ace of aces.

Right-handed pitchers Dave Bush, Austin Hyatt, B.J. Rosenberg and J.C. Ramirez along with lefthander Pat Misch were reassigned to minor-league camp. As far as position players, infielders Harold Garcia and Cesar Hernandez, outfielder Tyson Gillies, and catcher Sebastian Valle were optioned to minor-league camp.
Both Bush and Hyatt are set to pitch in the starting rotation with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Hyatt could potentially be the only homegrown talent in that rotation.

Joe Blanton knows the 5th starter’s spot isn’t a lock heading into this season. But he does have the advantage over Joel Pineiro and Kyle Kendrick and he’s taking advantage of that opportunity.

Looking to erase a poor 2011 as well as focus on a contract year, 2012 is going to be the most important year of the 31-year-old’s career as he nears the end of his prime.

Blanton was excellent in three innings of work, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out three in the Phillies 1-0 loss against the Baltimore Orioles.

Blanton was using his change-up quite a bit, tweeted David Hale, as well as forcing batters to make low-quality swings. He did allow five base runners in the three innings, though.

Former Indians reliever Scott Elarton, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2008, pitched well in relief after Blanton. He gave up a lead-off homer to Chris Davis before cruising through four innings without allowing a base running, striking out four.

Phils had a prime opportunity to tie the game in the 6th. They had runners on the corners with one out but Shane Victorino struck out and Jim Thome flew out to end the threat.

Earlier this morning, Domonic Brown had an MRI on his injured right thumb. The results of that MRI showed Brown has some inflammation in his thumb, which he sprained on Monday diving for a ball against the Yankees.

But fortunately for Brown, who also fractured his hamate bone last season in the same hand during Spring Training, this injury isn’t as serious and he should be back in the line up next week.

“Maybe longer,” G.M. Ruben Amaro said. “We’re just being really cautious with it. The wound itself has to heal. He’s doing fine. We just want to make sure it heals. It’ll heal. … We just want to make sure we don’t have any more recurrence of any infections at all.”

Unfortunately, but being in the walking boot, Howard won’t be working out, doing his conditioning and staying in shape. It’s a setback.

Dontrelle Willis and Pat Misch have two things in common today: luck wasn’t on their side.

The two lefties were shelled for a combined eight runs, five earned in their combined 2 2/3 innings of work today. The rest was written in the books as the Phillies dropped to the Houston Astros, 10-3.

Vance Worley made his debut. Hoping to avoid a sophomore slump, Worley wasn’t off to as good a start as the Phillies hoped.

Worley allowed two runs on five hits and a walk without striking out a batter. He threw 40 pitches in his outing.

The Phillies offense was practically non-existent. They were shut out until the 8th inning when Lou Montanez drove in two runs on a double. Hector Luna led off the 9th with a solo home run.

Even championship-caliber teams have position battles during Spring Training. With a good idea of who the 25 men making the Opening Day roster, a few position and roster battles loom heading into this season.

With a place on the team is set, John Mayberry, Laynce Nix and Ty Wigginton are all battling it out for the first base and left field openings left by now-Yankee Raul Ibanez and injured Ryan Howard.

Kyle Kendrick, Joe Blanton and Joel Pineiro are looking to win the fifth starter’s spot of the rotation. Even Domonic Brown is hoping he can impress the Phillies this spring in hopes to skip a trip to Lehigh Valley at the end of March.

Lastly, and possibly the most interesting battle this spring belongs to who the Phillies 25th man will be. With Ben Francisco traded to the Toronto Blue Jays, a spot for an outfield bench player has been vacated.

The top two candidates for that spot are both veteran players with similar traits: Scott Podsednik and Juan Pierre.